Connection
by Vera The Awesome
Summary: In order to leave the Aliea incident behind them, Burn and Gazel take their teams on a beach vacation. Sadly for the arrogant Chaos captains, it turns out old habits die hard. Burn/Gazel and a few minor couples, one-shot.
1. Swimming lessons

**A/N: Long time no see, minna-san~ As some of you may have read on my profile, I got attacked by a writer's block. I can't say it's entirely gone, seeing as I struggled with this story enough and I'm not exactly bursting with ideas, but I truly hope this one will do. It shares simarities with two other stories of mine, but it's not supposed to be a follow-up to either of them. I'm also not exactly looking for harsh critiques since I'm insecure as it is, and I'm content that I even managed to finish it; I have no interest in improving this one. So with that, I hope you can see past the flaws and enjoy my new fic. -heart-**

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Nagumo cracked one eye open as a sudden light shone into his and Atsuishi's bedroom, but quickly shut it again when he recognized the silhouette in the doorframe. That was the fourth time – in a week – little Suzuno came to disturb him at night, begging to sleep in his bed instead of staying put in his own. After Nagumo had twisted his ankle for the sake of retrieving his soccer ball, the other boy had grown surprisingly attached to him. It was no wonder, considering Nagumo had been the first to show him kindness in a new house full of other orphans, but the redhead was beginning to think Suzuno liked to stick to him a little _too _much.

Pretending to sleep, he waited until the light of the hallway vanished and Suzuno's footsteps faded into silence. Instead, the disruptively bright streak only grew and the silver-haired boy slowly made his way to his bedside. "H-Haruya-kun…" he started hesitantly, not sure whether he should shake him awake or not.

Nagumo saved him the effort. He opened his eyes to look at him from under his cozy blanket. "What is it this time, Fuusuke?" he whispered, not sounding particularly inviting. Suzuno noticed his irritated tone and began to fiddle his hands without making eye contact. "I-I'm scared…"

"Of what? The dark, the storm, or the monsters under your bed? You have a new excuse every time."

Suzuno began to whimper to the floor and Nagumo felt an instant pang of guilt. He didn't mean to snap at him. He didn't even mind so much that Suzuno invaded his bed, or that he had to explain to his roommate why they had a reoccurring guest. But right now, he was tired and cranky and he just wished there was a way he could convince Suzuno nothing was going to happen if he slept in his own bed.

"You slept fine before we met, right? Besides, don't you have Touchi with you?" Nagumo usually referred to his siblings by their first names, but he wasn't particularly fond of the boy Suzuno shared a room with. He was stiff, indifferent, and all-around boring. But as far as he knew, he and Suzuno managed to get along.

"B-but…" Suzuno stammered, obviously scared of annoying him further. "I-I feel better with you…"

Nagumo let out a small sigh. As he thought, Suzuno really _had_ become too attached to him, to the point of seeing him as his only source of comfort. He wanted to tell him he should sleep alone and make other friends and preferably not cling to his arm whenever he had the chance, but he was too tired to make a fuss.

"Alright, fine…" he groaned, and just these small words had the effect of summoning a big smile to Suzuno's face. He rushed to close the door and crawled into bed as soon as Nagumo scooted to the side, where he happily sank under the warm covers. "Thank you, Haruya-kun."

"Yeah yeah," Nagumo muttered, avoiding eye contact with a small blush. As much as Suzuno's clinginess annoyed him, it seemed completely irrelevant as soon as the boy showed him his affectionate smile. Rolling to face the wall, he could only hope he wouldn't end up starting the morning in a snoozing Suzuno's arms _again_. "Now go to sleep. And promise this is the last time you come to me with this."

"I promise," Suzuno chirped, worries long gone. He took the liberty of snuggling up to his friend's back and, shortly after closing his eyes, fell into a world of warmth and peace.

* * *

"Race you to the beach!"

The eleven members of Aliea's Prominence raced down the dunes, quite literally leaving the Diamond Dust players in the dust. Gazel and his teammates followed them at a calmer pace, characteristically less fired up than their colleagues.

"So noisy this early in the morning," IQ commented with a grimace.

Gazel gave him a smile. "They're just excited. The bus arrived at our cottage later than we planned yesterday, so we didn't have time to visit the beach."

"We should catch up before they steal all the good spots, though!" IC jumped in, and she dragged her brother forward by the wrist. Some of Gazel's teammates followed her when she picked up the pace, but he himself, Droll, Clara, Valen and Rhionne were in no particular hurry. They'd come at an early hour, and it would take at least 30 minutes before the beach flooded with other tourists.

By the time Gazel fished his towel and sunscreen out of his bag, someone crouched down at his beach parasol and Burn's face came into view. "Morning heat too much for ya?" he teased with a grin. He had already stripped down to his fire-red trunks and the sun tended to have mercy on him for some dumb reason, rendering sunscreen unnecessary.

"Boast all you want; we'll see if your mouth is still as big as your ego once you go into that water." With an equally smug grin, Gazel pointed at the clear, transparent ocean. At first glance, one would think he was referring to Burn's allergy to anything cold, but both of them knew he was indirectly addressing a second issue.

Burn scoffed and plopped down in the sand. "I don't plan on going to the deep, you moron. I have more fun on dry land, anyway."

"Oh?" Gazel asked provocatively, and he undressed himself until only a pair of navy blue swimming trunks was left. "After I tried to teach you all these years, you're still scared of water as soon as the bottom vanishes under your feet?"

Burn's face flared up at the memory of visiting the beach with his siblings at a younger age. One of the few things Gazel had always bested him at was swimming, and he'd attempted – more or less vainly – to teach him how to do it. Burn couldn't stay calm in water; he would panic and trash around and ultimately need Hitomiko to bring him to safety. And thus, Gazel had just hit the nail on the head: he was completely powerless the moment water took hold of his feet.

Gazel smirked while he opened his bottle and smeared sunscreen on his arms. "I knew it. If you want, I can give you another lesson? Even though you're a hopeless idiot and you'll probably need another ten years before you even manage to float."

"That—!" Burn sputtered indignantly. "I—_You're_ the idiot for not being able to withstand the slightest bit of heat! Look at that, you need a friggin' parasol!" He angrily slapped the material. "At least I don't have sensitive skin like a _girl_."

"Having a supposedly resistant skin won't teach you how to swim," Gazel answered simply. "Aren't your teammates the same as you? All of you do well with high temperatures, but you're the only one who evades water."

Burn needed a single glance at the ocean to know he was right. Alongside the ice players, most of his team had started the day off with a fresh swim. The only ones still on the beach were Bonitona, who preferred sunbathing, and Barra and Bomber; she was busy burying her big brother in the sand. Everyone else was playing in that wet, frigid, dangerous water. Even Nepper, who used to share Burn's pain, abandoned his pride so he could take swimming lessons from Rhionne. But that was most likely because he was head over heels in love with her, and the beach was one of the few locations where she actually removed her mask – an opportunity he'd hate to miss.

Burn gritted his teeth. He'd drop dead before becoming a laughing stock among his teammates for being the only one incapable of saving himself in water. "Alright, fine," he snapped, and he took Gazel by surprise by snatching his wrist and dragging him out into the sunlight. "Let's get on with it."

"Wha—Just a second. I haven't finished my sunscreen yet." Gazel lifted the bottle demonstratively, then promptly shoved it into Burn's hands and turned around. "Do my back for me."

Burn stared at his naked backside before he caught up with the situation. For some reason, that demand threw him off-guard. It wasn't like Gazel asked for a miracle; the two of them had reconciled as friends upon establishing Chaos, after all. But still… Somehow, his request made Burn's mind stop functioning for two seconds. He quickly shook his head to clear it and began to spread the liquid on his co-captain's back.

Unbeknownst to him, Gazel's face, blank at first, warmed up at the touch of Burn's hands. His eyes were closed and his straight lips curved into an indulgent smile. He initially harboured no ulterior motive behind his words, but he couldn't deny he was enjoying the massage. For someone with a tough attitude, Burn could be surprisingly gentle.

"Alright, done." Burn returned the sunscreen and Gazel stuffed it into his bag. He'd taken care of the rest of his body while Burn was struggling with his water complex. The couple made their way to the edge of the water, where they stumbled upon their first problem. While Gazel marched right in, Burn fell behind by slowing his pace and repeatedly hissing "Cold…!" to himself. Gazel spun to him with a grin. "That's what I thought: you lose your attitude as soon as you're in. Are you really going to let anything below fifteen degrees hold you back? That doesn't sound like something a _man_ would do."

"Shut up!" Burn snarled, and he tried to prove him wrong by adjusting to his pace. But dammit, that water was so cold…! How did his friends manage to survive in this?

"Dive in in one go," said a female voice that appeared to have read his thoughts. Rean came floating on her inflatable crocodile, smiling cheerfully as always. "If you go slow, the water will creep onto you and just make it more difficult. The fastest way to get used to it is—"

"Yes, Rean, I got it," Burn grumbled in embarrassment. His female best friend – and the rest of his team for that matter – were fully aware of his swimming issue, and while he knew none of them would truly mock him for it, he still hated to expose his limits.

"She's right, though," Gazel backed her up, arms crossed and already at waist-deep level. "Go on," he nodded, "let's see you do it."

Burn just glared at him before he fixed his eyes on the water. He took a few more steps, mentally preparing himself, and then he threw himself below the surface. His body tensed as the water stabbed him with its coldness, but when he jumped up for air, he found that same coldness wore off quickly.

Rean clapped her hands while Gazel nodded in approval. "Well done," he commented. He dove in the same way Burn had – though in a much more graceful manner, the redhead had to admit – and motioned him over once he was back on his feet. Rean wished her captain good luck before she floated away, and with their other friends playing farther off, Burn was relieved there would be no more interruptions. "What now?" he inquired.

Gazel held out his hands below the water and nodded downwards. "You remember the basics, right? Lean on my hands with your stomach and pretend you're swimming."

Burn looked at him as if he was nuts. His brain paused the same way it had when Gazel asked him to do his back, and again for the same reason: he wanted to initiate body contact. On top of that, he would literally be in Gazel's hands this time. The other boy could easily drop him if he wanted to, and given their rocky past, he didn't put such tricks past him. "Forget it," he scoffed.

Seemingly telepathic, Gazel just rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to let you drown, you moron. Just try it already."

Burn grumbled reluctantly, but deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, he moved over and carefully bent forward. As promised, Gazel's hands caught him smoothly, one supporting his chest and the other his stomach. "Now start swimming," he coached, and Burn was glad he couldn't see his pink face from this angle. He felt stupid and embarrassed at the same time, and he blamed his current position for both sentiments. Regardless, he obediently extended his arms and simulated a swimming motion, legs quickly following. In spite of him resembling an anchor, little Gazel had always been very patient with him, teaching the basic moves over and over. Burn was secretly grateful that older Gazel, despite their arguments, didn't seem to have changed in that aspect.

"Good, you haven't forgotten," Gazel remarked as he observed his movements. "Let's go in a little deeper." Before Burn could even answer, Gazel's hands suddenly vanished and he was flung into the water. Coughing and sputtering, Burn leapt back up and shot him a glare. "You bastard! You did that on purpose!"

"It's not my fault you have no sense of balance," Gazel answered innocently, even though he knew Burn was completely right. He couldn't resist but to tease him when he had the chance. Luckily, Burn dropped the subject – though his pout took a moment to disappear – and followed him until the water reached their chests. "What now?"

"You know the frog-like movement you just made with your legs? That's all you need to do if you want to stay above the surface." To demonstrate, Gazel suddenly sank a little, but stayed untouched from the shoulders up. Although the water was darker here, Burn understood he was practicing the action he himself had executed a moment ago. "It'll prevent you from going under. Give it a try."

Burn hesitated again, but then remembered his feet could still touch the sea bottom. Even if he screwed up and threatened to sink, he could easily retain his balance. With a nod, he lifted his legs, but almost instantly fell to the right. He gave it a second try, and a third, but his body kept tilting to either side.

Gazel smiled a little at the amusing sight and was about to give him advice when he heard his name being called. Back towards the beach, IC was struggling with a deflating tube, and her brother was currently occupied by a front crawling contest with Heat. Gazel gave a short wave before looking at his friend. "I'll be right back. You keep practicing, okay?"

"Sure," Burn answered, and Gazel swam towards his teammate to blow air into her tube. It wasn't even half-full when he abruptly heard a massive wave approach, and it clashed over them before Gazel could turn his head in Burn's direction. He and IC were in a safe area and used to water on top of that, but the redhead was practically allergic to it and much more vulnerable in the deeper, darker part. That's why Gazel's eyes widened when he failed to detect him.

"One moment." Gazel gave IC her tube back and hurried to where he'd left Burn. He thought – or hoped – the distance had prevented him from spotting the boy, but even when he was sure he'd reached the place he was supposed to be, Burn was nowhere to be seen. "Burn?" Gazel threw his head left and right, front and back, but he couldn't even find Burn's distinguishable dumbass hair tulip. Everything was dark and blue and it was even worse when Gazel sank through his knees to see if Burn was below the surface. He could barely make out his hands.

Panic began to throb inside his chest as Gazel rose back up and there was still no sign of Burn upon a second inspection. He examined the beach site, wondering if the wave had dragged him there, but he ended up with the same result. "Burn! Burn!" He continued to call for his friend and noticed he was beginning to sound desperate. At this rate, Burn might not only be injured, but something even worse. He couldn't possibly have… drowned?!

Shit! Gazel was starting to lose focus. All he could do was search his surroundings, again and again, praying that friggin' idiot would give him a sign. His heart pounded anxiously and a lump clogged up his throat. If Burn was in danger due to his recklessness, he could never forgive himself. Seconds ticked by and Gazel's eyes actually teared up, fear overtaking him without mercy. Where the fuck was he…?! "Haruya…!"

"Gotcha!"

A pair of arms circled his waist and Gazel let out a squeal when his back was suddenly pressed against someone's chest. Burn's face appeared on his shoulder and the boy grinned at him from ear to ear. Gazel felt himself redden in his embrace, and his embarrassment only grew when he realized the idiot was not only completely unharmed, Gazel had also let him sneak up and take him by surprise.

"Y-you idiot!" Gazel pushed himself out of Burn's arms and gaped at him, trying hard to mask his shock with anger. "Where were you?! I thought that wave had—"

"I know, I know." Burn raised his hands in an apologetic fashion. "That's why I decided to tease you a little. Consider it payback for dropping me earlier."

"That was only a small prank! Don't you realize that wave could've done much worse? The current was strong enough to drag you with it if you didn't have a proper standing! You could've drowned for all I knew; don't you realize how wo—" It was only at the notion of the word "worried" that Gazel acknowledged he was shouting. That's right, he had been worried. He had been worried to death. He had been so scared Burn might've gotten hurt because of him, and right now there was not only shock, but also a major relief overwhelming him. He couldn't believe how glad he actually was that Burn was safe and sound. If anything, he promptly wanted to throw his arms around his neck and hold him close, as if to confirm the boy was really there. But that was even more embarrassing than almost blurting out he had been worried for that, that—_moronic_ tulip-head.

Sadly for Gazel, Burn seemed well aware of his thoughts. They weren't at all hard to guess when his usual poker face was now pouring with distress. "How worried you were?" he smugly finished his sentence. Gazel's blush reached his ears and Burn let out a snicker. "I'm fine, okay? I just ducked when the wave was about to hit me. And look, I managed to do the exercise."

It took Gazel a moment to regain a clear mind, even when Burn demonstrated his accomplishment. His nonchalant attitude made him realize just how much he'd overreacted. He should've known Burn was underwater, waiting to strike. Even if the wave had knocked him out, he would still be floating about and his fire-red hair would've definitely stood out. Damn, he was such an idiot…!

"… whatever," he muttered, and he turned his head to the side as if that would tone down his flushing cheeks. Then he started walking towards the shore. "I'm not in the mood to swim anymore. I'm going to get something to drink."

Burn's hand caught hold of his wrist. "Are you angry? Don't be such a spoilsport, I was only joking." Seeing as Gazel was still avoiding eye contact, he failed to notice how Burn detected something in the water and grew an evil smirk. "If I_ really_ wanted to mess with you, I'd do something like _this_."

Before Gazel could even look at him, Burn grabbed the back rim of his swimming trunks and stretched it so he could dump a white jellyfish inside. Gazel could solely scream as he started bouncing around like a lunatic, making vain attempts to fish out the animal. He only mustered the patience to stand still and get rid of it properly by the time every single person in a one-mile-radius was fixated on him and his squeals.

The ice captain glared daggers at his colleague, who stood there with his hands behind his head and that despicable, shit-eating grin of his. "… you BASTARD!" Infuriated, Gazel swung his arm back and hurled the jellyfish at Burn's face. Having anticipated the attack, though, Burn simply tilted his head to the side and smoothly dodged it. "Was that all?" he teased, and his smirk cockily spread when Gazel charged him. He evaded his tackle as well, but Gazel quickly recovered and managed to push him underwater at a second attempt. Burn counterattacked by splashing him in the face, which Gazel mimicked with double force.

The members of Prominence and Diamond Dust watched the water fight between their captains in amusement, until Droll stepped forward and raised his hand to grab their attention. "Burn-sama, Gazel-sama! The volleyball field is free, would you like to join the game?"

The boys perked up just as Gazel reached for Burn's throat and Burn was about to rip a tuft of silver hair out. They were quiet for a moment, then eyed each other with the same challenging grimace.

"Let's settle this through a game of beach volleyball, shall we?" Burn hissed.

"You read my thoughts," Gazel hissed back, and the couple made for the beach without another word. There, the two teams quickly decided on their other respective participants: Nepper, Rean and Berkley, and Droll, Gokka and Beluga. Clara volunteered to play the role of referee, while the majority of their friends took a seat on the benches next to the field. A few others preferred to stay in the water and Barra still had her hands full on making Bomber a sandman, but they observed the game on several occasions.

Clara produced a coin and waited until her captains chose a side, but Gazel confidently crossed his arms and said: "Let Prominence start. They'll need the advantage if they can even hope to score _one_ point off us."

Burn was practically seething with anger. "Why, you…!" Throwing an index finger in his rival's face, he snapped: "Just you wait! I will make you regret those words. As well as eat the sand."

"All bark and no bite, as usual," Gazel shrugged, and Clara decided to intervene before they engaged in an actual argument. "Alright, Prominence will have the first throw. Players, take your positions!"

Both teams obeyed, putting their captains in the front, and they waited until the whistle was blown. Once the game started, the spectators attentively anticipated who'd steal the first point, but it didn't take them long to figure out that, as with soccer, Prominence and Diamond Dust were exact equals in volleyball. Their strength and speed on an even level, both teams tried to be swift in pounding the ball into the sand, but their opponents practically predicted their movements and consistently managed to block them.

That's why Burn decided to liven up the game a little. The moment the ball came flying to his side, he suddenly dashed to Nepper and shouted: "Nepper, give me a lift!" Nepper, somehow completely aware of what he meant, folded his hands and provided an extra step for the redhead as he leapt into the air. Diamond Dust didn't have a chance to react before Burn swung his foot at the ball and shot it in the middle of their half, sending sand into their faces.

While the fire half of the audience broke into a cheer, Gazel rubbed his face and shot a glare at Burn, who high-fived his green-haired partner-in-crime. "You cheated!"

Burn gave him a cocky smirk and planted his hands on his hips. "Oh, did I? We're soccer players, aren't we? Besides, I don't see the rules stating we're not allowed to kick."

"This is an entirely different sport, you idiot!" Gazel snarled.

Burn raised an eyebrow. "And? You're just mad because I grabbed that '_unreachable'_ point you bragged about earlier. Better luck next time, Gazel."

Gazel gritted his teeth together and inwardly counted to five, which only managed to halve his urge to strangle the other boy. He more or less managed to control the other half by brushing through his silver locks, even though the force in his fingers was almost strong enough to tear them out.

_If you wish to play it that way… you bet I'm game._

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**A/N: Hope you enjoy it so far, everyone! The next chapter will be up soon~**


	2. The dream

**A/N: Thanks so much for all your support, everyone! I was genuinely surprised when I saw so much interest in just the first chapter after I'd been inactive for a while. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

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The two teams reassumed their positions and Diamond Dust continued the match. After Burn's sporadic little stunt, Prominence decided to resume their regular pace for whatever reason. But Gazel wasn't going to wait around until they pulled another trick. Once the ball crossed the net, he jumped into mid-air, lacking need for support like Burn did, and kicked the ball with so much power that it flew over his rival's head, away from the field and towards two random beach-goers.

"Ah, watch out—!" Gazel started, but just as one them was about to get hit, his companion suddenly stepped in front of him and almost effortlessly blocked the ball with his bare chest. It was then that Burn and Gazel, along with the rest of their teams, recognized both individuals with ease.

"… Gran." Burn's confident voice had mysteriously swapped to a grumpy one when Hiroto approached them. In one hand was the lost volleyball, in the other was Midorikawa's. The greenhead, shyly following, was visibly recovering from the shock that had come with Hiroto's save. Seeing as his back had been turned to the volleyball field, he had no idea he was a target until Hiroto jumped in.

"'Hiroto' is just fine," Hiroto corrected with that smile Burn and Gazel both hated so much. If there was one purpose behind their vacation, it was to have fun and leave the past behind. It was almost typical that their ex-superior had decided to put a dent in that plan, even if it was by accident. Similar to their captains, their teammates didn't seem exactly happy to see him either.

Hiroto observed the field, then the benches, and continued to smile at his fellow captains. "Fired up as always, I see?" He neatly spun the ball on his index finger before tossing it back to Diamond Dust's half.

"Che." Burn crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "And what about you? Having a fun beach day with your _girlfriend_?"

Midorikawa tensed at the mocking tone behind that word, but Hiroto's expression remained unchanged. He glanced at his companion before returning his gaze to Burn. "Last time I checked," he started matter-of-factly, "Ryuuji was my _boyfriend_."

Proclaiming the lowest rank captain as his romantic partner was embarrassing enough, but everyone within earshot of Hiroto's words particularly froze at the 'last time I checked'-part. Midorikawa received the biggest blow, not only reddening furiously but also shooting the redhead a desperate look. Not knowing what to do, he pounded his fist on Hiroto's shoulder. "H-Hiroto!"

Hiroto simply chuckled him off and greeted his siblings with a wave. "Well, I'll leave you to it then. Until later."

"Hopefully very much later, disgusting pervert…" Burn grumbled under his breath while the couple walked off. Once they were left alone, the teams refocused on each other and he gave Gazel a grin. "Who was the one with anger management issues again?"

Even with the net in the way, Gazel's opponents were able to spot a vague blush on his cheeks. He hadn't meant to kick the ball so far, but his anger towards Burn had temporarily overtaken him. He regained himself by stroking his hair once more and lifting his chin, tilted towards the sea, with dignity. "Hmph. I'm sure _you_ will be the one to make that clear by the end of the match, when you're incapable of swallowing defeat like the loser you are."

One of the veins on Burn's face became dangerously visible. "Is that so…? Let's see who'll have the last word then, shall we, Gazel?"

"Yes, I agree," Gazel nodded, and he tossed the ball over the net to let Prominence have the next throw. His own shot couldn't have been more out, after all. As the match went on, both the players and the audience became more and more lively. While Diamond Dust did their best to even the score, Prominence tried just as hard to prevent them from it. But at one fateful point, Gazel once again intercepted the ball in the air, and this time, sent it flawlessly to the right back corner of the field.

It was the ice half of the audience that got to applaud this time, and Gazel grinned as Burn retrieved the ball with gritted teeth. "There, now we're even. Can we finally start playing seriously?"

He definitely knew how to push Burn's buttons. First calling him a bad loser, and now indicating what he and his team had been doing so far was mere child's play. Burn clenched his hands onto the ball while he forced a grin in Gazel's direction. "Trust me," he hissed, "I won't hold back."

And so he didn't, and neither did the other seven players. The game was now even more exciting due to the balanced score, which both Prominence and Diamond Dust were determined to tip to their own side. The players attempted another kick at times, but their opponents were prepared and always caught the ball with their heads. No one even seemed to care anymore whether the move was allowed or not. Their friends on the bench got so loud that even other tourists stopped to have a curious look. It was clear from first sight that this match wasn't just a friendly game; both teams played as though their lives depended on it. Maybe not their lives, but definitely their reputation – at least Burn and Gazel's. They may have made the decision to combine their strength in soccer, but in every situation that was capable of spawning a competition, they were bent on defeating each other.

Unfortunately, Clara blew the end whistle before either side managed to grasp another point. To no one's surprise, the match ended in a draw. Panting, most of the participants wiped their sweaty foreheads and went to get something to drink, while their captains approached each other and Burn patted Gazel on the shoulder. "Better luck next time, I suppose."

"Yeah," Gazel grinned, a soft, playful grin. "I'll admit that you're _almost _as good as me. I suppose I'll have to train a little more before I can make you bite the dust."

"Don't get ahead of yourself now; I won't let Prominence fall behind so easily." To Gazel's surprise, Burn squeezed his nose between his thumb and forefinger for a moment. He blinked, then touched it as if afraid Burn had left something there. He had never made such a gesture before. That is, not since they were kids.

Burn just grinned and pointed towards a beach restaurant. "Wanna come with? I think we could all use some ice cream after sporting in this weather."

Gazel slowly nodded in agreement, and decided forget Burn's little antic on their way to the restaurant. After their friends had chosen their ice cream of choice, he decided to go with a cone that consisted of four multi-flavoured scoops. Burn, who went for a simple popsicle, observed the thing in wonder. "I see that habit hasn't changed a bit."

Gazel understood he meant the fact that he'd always gone for such extravagant cones as far as they could remember. "Want to taste?" he teased, holding the cone in Burn's direction, but Burn just rolled his eyes and snapped a "No."

The couple returned to their part of the beach and went to sit at the edge of their water, where they could dip in their feet. Gazing into the horizon, they licked their snack in silence until Burn spoke up: "We haven't competed like that in a while."

"Yeah," Gazel answered. "We never had much of a chance to after we decided to work together." He slowly turned his head to Burn, wondering if he should speak the next words on his mind, but the redhead was ahead of him: "I liked playing against you."

Slightly surprised, Gazel felt his cheeks warm up a little, and he quickly cast his eyes back on the ocean. "… yeah," he repeated in a softer tone. He liked competing with Burn. In fact, he loved it. The excitement, the adrenaline; putting his all into a game to see which one was stronger… It never got boring, even if their equal status never seemed to want to change. But he was fine with that. Gazel was actually glad they were on the same level. It was different when they were kids: when Burn was rash and sure of himself, just like he was now. But Gazel used to be quiet, introverted, wimpy even. He never dared to take risks or even initiate contact with his siblings. Burn used to be ahead of him on many levels… but he had caught up, as his rival and his friend. At this point, Gazel couldn't be more content.

Burn broke him out of his thoughts by saying: "We have more than half of the day left. What do you want to do?" It was a minor detail that probably went by unnoticed on his friend's part, but Gazel was inwardly glad that Burn insinuated he wanted to spend the rest of the day with him.

"I don't mind another swimming lesson," he started, "and I think Droll brought a kite with him." Then he grinned, threw a thumb over his shoulder, and added: "Or we could follow their example."

Burn looked behind them and saw Barra, who had only managed to cover Bomber's legs so far. With their heights being polar opposites, it was going to take a while for her to complete her mission. To his credit, Bomber possessed the patience of a saint. He didn't seem to mind the sun if it meant doing his little sister a favor.

Burn shot his co-captain a look and softly punched his shoulder. "Forget it. Though I might change my mind if you're the one who's being buried…"

"You wish," Gazel smirked, and Burn smirked back. "The kite doesn't sound too bad, but I don't feel like swimming right now. Particularly because of_ that_."

Gazel followed his finger to the water and saw what he meant. Hiroto and Midorikawa must've found their own spot on the beach, because they were now playing with a beach ball. Gazel rolled his eyes back to Burn. "Are you seriously going to let them keep you from entering water? Just swim somewhere else."

"Che," Burn pouted stubbornly. "I don't like those two. Gran is an ass and Reize is a wimp. He always clings to him like some helpless little duckling, it's pathetic." Surprisingly, that comment brought a smile to Gazel's face. He wondered if Burn realized he had once been the same with him.

"Anyway," Burn continued when Gazel refrained from speaking, "I think I'll lie in the sun a bit. I could use some relaxation after so much exercise."

Gazel nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. I'll follow your lead and grab a book, then." He quickly finished his ice cream, seeing as Burn had already licked up his popsicle at this point. But just as he was about to stand, the other boy suddenly grasped his shoulder. "Wait. There's some left."

Gazel could only blurt out an "Eh—?" as Burn closed in on him and licked the spilled chocolate ice cream off his cheek. It took one split second, but that was all his heart needed to skip a beat, only to resume at a ridiculous pace. Gazel eventually realized he was idly staring at a confused-looking Burn, but he was so baffled that he found himself unable to do anything else. First the hug in the water, then that thing with his nose, and now this… Not to mention how good it had felt when Burn rubbed his hands on his back. His body, as well as his mind, reacted in the strangest way whenever he got a little too close.

"What—what was _that_ for?!" Gazel's red cheeks grew a darker shade when he nearly tripped over his words. He couldn't help it; Burn's oh-so-innocent gestures affected him a way he had no idea how to handle.

Burn raised his eyebrows, obviously unaware of Gazel's inner turmoil, and indifferently responded: "Did you want that last bit _so_ bad? Sorry, didn't realize it was that important to you."

"T-that is not the point, you idiot!" Gazel stared at him in total disbelief. How could he be so casual about it, as if licking each other's face was the most normal thing in the world?

Burn needed another moment to catch on, but after a few seconds of awkward silence, he flashed a knowing grin and folded his arms. "Aah, I see now. You're _embarrassed _about what I did. How cute."

"I-it's not cute—!" Gazel started, but Burn let out a laugh and started walking to his beach spot. To him, the conversation was clearly over, which only added to Gazel's frustration. As if touching him at unexpected places wasn't enough, he now thought invading his personal space with his_ tongue _was totally okay as well. Well, it wasn't. And neither was the fact that he cut off the subject as if it wasn't worth talking about. Not that Gazel had a clue what to say, anyway.

Still red-faced, he spun away from Burn with a huff and made for his parasol, where he plopped down and searched the book he brought. He wasn't aware that he was being observed by the very person who messed up his feelings. Burn continued to watch him and his cutely grumpy face a little longer, before he lay down on his towel with his hands under his head. He shut his eyes with a grin. It sure was fun teasing that Gazel. He was always so composed, sometimes even apathetic, but Burn knew better than anyone how to make his frantic side appear. That made Gazel even more fun to be with than he already was. On one hand, he provided a challenge, but on the other, his heart of ice melted when Burn said or did certain things.

Of course, Burn realized these 'things' were anything but ordinary. If Gazel did them to him, he'd most likely have the same reaction – or even worse, given his temper. But he'd already admitted to himself that he liked being this close to Gazel. It was the only explanation as to why his sunscreen request had fazed him earlier, and why he then grabbed every opportunity to touch him. He didn't know why, but he didn't bother hiding it either. Especially when Gazel kept up those adorable reactions. Unless the boy told him to, he saw no reason to distance himself from the one who made his life so enjoyable. And with that thought, Burn let the warmth of the sun soothe him to sleep.

* * *

"_Burn… Burn…"_

_When a familiar voice shook him out of his nap, the first thing Burn noticed was that it was hot. Ridiculously so. Rather than a beach, he felt as if he was waking up in a sauna. He opened his eyes to find Gazel next to him, knees in the sand. He was smiling for whatever reason._

"_What's up?" Burn asked, planting his hands in the sand so he could push himself up. But Gazel was quicker and suddenly spread one leg to Burn's other side, so that he was sitting on top of him. Burn had no chance to react before he placed his hands next to his own and hovered closer, practically forcing him to lie back down._

"_G-Gazel?!" Burn stammered with wide eyes. "What do you think you're doing, there are people around!" But when he turned his head from left to right, he saw he was wrong. The beach was entirely void of other tourists, even their own teammates. Burn would've gladly questioned this mysterious occurrence if he could, but Gazel laid a finger on his lips before he could speak._

"_Shh," he breathed, letting that same finger trail down Burn's throat, chest, stomach, and a place Burn _definitely_ thought he wouldn't ever deliberately touch._

"_G-Gazel?!" he repeated, and he groaned under his breath when Gazel spontaneously rubbed between his legs. He looked up at his seductive, charismatic, absolutely gorgeous face, and at that moment, Burn lost his sense of restraint just as easily as him. Suddenly, nothing seemed important anymore; not the empty beach, not the scorching temperature, not whatever motive Gazel had that drove him to touch him like this. All Burn knew was that he liked it, and the heat that bothered him at first was actually starting to set the mood._

_Their surroundings began to emanate a sensual red, as if a gradient had fallen over them, and Burn noticed how everything that wasn't Gazel faded into a blur. Strangely unfazed by it, he clasped onto Gazel's cheeks so he could lock lips with the boy. Gazel gladly returned the kiss with the exact amount of passion Burn desired. He let their tongues meet and the redhead muffled another moan into his mouth when he slid his hand inside his trunks, skin to skin._

"_G-Gazel…" Burn whispered, his eyes closed by the time Gazel pulled back and shifted his lips to his neck. Burn threw his arms around him and buried one hand in his silver locks, thoroughly enjoying the kisses, the licking, even the love bites. Not to mention the provocative movements inside his trunks. He had no idea what possessed Gazel to do this, especially after pissing him off, but it wasn't like he gave a damn in the first place. His longing for contact grew with each passing second, he craved more and more of Gazel's delicious gestures, and he could only hope at this point that his lover wouldn't stop until he was satisfied._

* * *

Burn rose from his towel with a yelp. The image of Gazel coming onto him distorted into that of the real world. The real world where the beach had normal colours and was crawling with tourists, and where the temperature wasn't abnormally high. Burn was so distressed that he couldn't help but pant, despite having rested for God knows how long. He grabbed his sweaty forehead and stared at the end of his towel without really fixating on it. Even after acknowledging the last two minutes had been a dream, the only thing he could concentrate on was his silver-haired co-captain. He remembered how easily he'd welcomed his advances, how he'd accepted the submissive role without an effort. Granted, none of it had been real, but… it felt terrifyingly real. As if Burn wouldn't mind being in such a position. Where has completely dependent on Gazel's good will, about to be spoiled rotten in the most intimate way…

Lowering his head, Burn discovered his dream felt a little more real than he would've liked. His face reddened completely at the bulge in his trunks, and he haphazardly shoved his bag between his crossed legs to hide it. God dammit, for how long had he been lying there with an erection?! How many people had seen it? He inspected the environment and felt a sense of relief when he saw there was not a single person giving him some kind of disgusted look. Okay, good. That must mean it hadn't been there for long. But still, dreaming of Gazel in such an erotic way was bad enough; his privates only confirmed the assumption that he would green-light the whole thing in real life. Burn bit his lip in shame. He already knew he enjoyed being close to Gazel, but he didn't think it'd be _this_close…!

"Burn."

Burn blurted out another squeal and needed to hold back a third when he saw Gazel next to him. He promptly covered his mouth, just staring at the boy. When the hell did he get here—?!

Gazel, now wearing a straw hat, raised an eyebrow in confusion. The sight of a panicked Burn was particularly rare, and the one of him grabbing onto an inanimate object for comfort even more so. "I take it you had a nightmare…?"

If only that were true. Burn shook his head, then wondered what the hell he was supposed to answer, then decided he'd better change the subject. "—h-how long did I sleep?"

"About two hours," Gazel answered. "I guess you were enjoying the sun a little _too _much." He beamed a sudden smirk. "You looked so cute like that, smiling in your sleep like a child."

Burn managed to shoot him a look. He couldn't care less about smiling in his sleep; as long as Gazel didn't notice his erection, he was fine. But he had been out for two whole hours…? He thought his nap would take approximately 30 minutes, at most. "What have you been doing all this time…?"

Gazel raised the bucket Burn had failed to notice before. "Went to collect seashells. There are some nice ones out here." Well, that explained the straw hat. They both knew he was too vulnerable to the sun if he stayed in it too long without some kind of refreshment. Gazel placed his findings next to the towel in case Burn wanted to have a look, but he made no effort to peek into the bucket. Having his question answered, he just wanted to be left alone so his crotch could calm the fuck down. It didn't exactly help that the object of his desire was right next to him, with only one item of clothing to cover him up.

Noting his unusual silence, Gazel couldn't help but wonder if something had happened to Burn while he was asleep. He was on the edge of inquiring, but then figured Burn would merely snap at him to go away. So he decided instead to address the matter he'd come for: "Anyway, I came to tell you the others are about to start a sandcastle contest. You're free to join."

Burn scoffed at him. "Sandcastles? I'm not a five-year-old."

"Apparently you are, because you aren't even smart enough to know that certain sandcastles can be real pieces of art," Gazel grinned. He picked up his bucket and started walking to his parasol. "I'm participating. Feel free to jump in anytime."

Burn raised his eyes heavenward, but then lowered them with a sigh. Now that Gazel was no longer fixated on him, it didn't take long for his erection to disappear. But even when his excitement did, his concern stayed behind. Burn had never experienced a sexual dream before, at least not as far as he could remember. Gazel didn't appear in his dreams often in the first place, and when he did, they were usually competing against each other, much like in real life. But this was something entirely different… and Burn found it surprisingly hard to ignore. He couldn't just shrug it off when it affected him to the point of making him wonder if he had actual… feelings for him. It would definitely explain his desire to be close, and to have… sex. Burn gulped at the thought. Did that mean Gazel only attracted him in a physical fashion, or was he infatuated with his personality as well? True, he was stubborn, arrogant, annoying as hell… but Burn already knew he secretly liked those qualities. What shocked him was that he apparently liked them to this extent.

The redhead perked up when Gazel passed him on his way to the contest site, not far from his beach spot. Unlike the volleyball match, where the amount of players was limited, most of their friends participated this time. Even Bonitona, who could tan for hours, had decided to form a team with Rean and Barra. Burn shifted his gaze to the left and saw his little sister had finally succeeded her task: Bomber was buried from neck to toe in sand, and had fallen asleep somewhere along the way. Burn shook his head with a grin. That big, snoring doofus. Examining the contestants a little more, he noticed this game wasn't going to be team against team either. Here, it was every man for himself.

Burn gave the idea of joining a little more thought, but then decided to have a change of heart. He needed distraction from the last five minutes that had practically bombarded him, and it wasn't like he had much else to do. Besides, people to interact with and play against provided plenty of other things to think about. Such as how he was going to beat them – one in particular – all down.

Burn got up from his towel and jogged over to Gazel, who turned around when he placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wanna join the contest."

Gazel smiled at him. "Wise choice. Pick any spot you like, there's plenty of room," he motioned.

Burn nodded, but just as he was about to do exactly that, something came to mind. "… hey…" he started confusedly, "who's the judge anyway?"

Gazel's smile suddenly altered to grin, and Burn knew he was screwed before he even answered: "I am." He pinched Burn's nose, mimicking his own gesture, and added: "Good luck in the contest, Haruya-_chan_. Make me proud."

A blush spread on Burn's face and he took a quick step back. "You—?!" he stammered indignantly.

Gazel casually heaved his shoulders. "My teammates asked, and yours don't seem to have a problem with it. Not that I have a prize to give or anything." Then his grin appeared again. "You're not going to tell me _you_ have a problem with it, are you?"

Burn gritted his teeth. Well, that certainly explained Gazel's cheerful behavior. Who wouldn't be cheerful after tricking their rival into joining a contest where they could either praise or crush him? For one moment, Burn considered making his castle absolute crap, perhaps even withdraw altogether, but he realized that would only back up Gazel's words about being incapable of swallowing defeat. On top of that, he could still challenge him by creating something that would blow his mind. If this contest wasn't going to be about earning a prize, it was going to be about fazing him.

Burn huffed and poked Gazel on the chest. "Just you wait, _princess_. I'll show you something great." He spun on his heel and marched off before Gazel could answer, but even after he'd found an empty spot, he wondered how he could fulfill his promise. He wasn't exactly a pro at these things, nor was he bursting with his ideas. He shut his eyes and continued to ponder, until he remembered what he had just called Gazel and an idea spontaneously hit him.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you liked it up till here, minna-san. :3 One more chapter after this~**


	3. Burn's accident

**A/N: Ugh, as usual, I get less confident the closer we get to the end of my story. I suddenly see twice as many flaws and since I fear I'll only worsen it by changing things at the last moment, I can only pray you guys will like the last chapter just as much as the others. I guess that's all I can say, so yeah... hope you enjoy.**

* * *

The ice captain walked over and cast a curious look on his unfinished construction. Right now, its circular form resembled Grent and Beluga's arena, but he could tell it was going to be a castle from the two surrounding towers. "Not bad," he commented sincerely.

Burn looked up at him with a grin. "If you think _this_ isn't bad, wait until it's finished." He saw a camera dangle around Gazel's neck and added: "Take a picture when I'm done. No one cares about a work-in-progress."

"Your teammates do," Gazel pointed out, "especially them." He pointed in direction of the turtle makers. "I've never seen someone so camera-friendly."

Spotting the girls, Burn responded: "Yeah, well, that's them. Better be careful with Nepper, he tends to bite."

Gazel mirrored his grin. "I'll keep that in mind. I'll see you later."

"See ya," Burn waved, and his grin spread as he watched Gazel's back. Little did the other boy know he was going to be the finishing touch to his sandcastle.

An hour had passed by the time most of the participants wrapped up their entry. Those who finished early went to do something else, but came back when it was time for Gazel to do his job. Examining the creations carefully, he found a lot of his teammates were actually quite talented. It was amazing enough that the Tokyo Tower managed to stand, and the arena as well as the swan turned out to be masterpieces. Some other creations, like the siblings' starfish and the girls' turtle, served for entertainment rather than impression. Nonetheless, Gazel took pictures of all the finished works before he ended up at Burn's. He immediately saw that it was rather… peculiar.

Burn had used his spot near the water and the rising tide to his advantage. A small ditch, about to fill up, led to his castle, where it functioned as a protective moat. Inside it were the round castle walls with now four towers on the side, but the thing that struck Gazel with surprise was that the castle itself was empty. Unlike ordinary sandcastles, this one had mere barriers with a hollow interior. But the thing that bewildered him even more was that Burn's castle possessed a diameter of at least one meter. It was practically big enough sit—… in…

Gazel sent Burn a suspicious look. "What's this supposed to be, Burn?"

Burn could tell from his expression that he was onto him, but replied with an innocent grin nonetheless. "It's not finished yet. Judge Gazel will have to sit in it first."

Gazel wasn't exactly pleased with that request, but seeing as he already understood his plan, he didn't see the harm in granting it. He stepped inside the castle and sank on his butt, keeping his knees folded. As expected, he fit in perfectly. It was in the nick of time, too, because the tide gave another push and water began to creep towards the castle, gradually surrounding it.

The other contestants were curious to see what their judge was doing, so they came over to admire Burn's castle as well. Most of them grinned in amusement and the girls even giggled, while Burn crossed his arms with a proud grin. If this didn't at least make the top three, he didn't know what did.

Noting the water was approaching at a rapid pace, he quickly snatched the camera from Gazel's neck and took the liberty of immortalizing his entry himself – with the judge included, of course. "No castle without a princess, right?" he teased when Gazel stood up.

Gazel gave a grimace and snatched the camera right back. "I'll admit that it's… _creative_," he started with a hint of reluctance in his voice. However vague it may be, Burn couldn't help indulge in it. It was clear Gazel hadn't seen something like this coming from his hand. "… but I believe the first prize should rightfully go to Droll's arena, with Rhionne's swan in second place and Grent and Beluga's Tokyo Tower in third place." He then smiled at his teammates from both elements. "You did a great job, everyone. Thanks for joining."

His audience clapped shortly, congratulating the winners, before they dispersed and went to observe each other's creations. Gazel was about to follow them and put the camera back around his neck, but a warm hand on his shoulder held him back. "What about me?" Burn questioned with a discontented pout.

Gazel lifted a casual eyebrow. "What about you? Didn't I give you points for creativity?"

"Those alleged 'points' of yours aren't exactly easy to swallow when you believe there's more creativity in some typical swan," Burn growled.

"I wasn't solely judging on creativity, Burn," Gazel explained calmly. "I was also paying attention to details and refinement, neither of which your castle has."

"I'm sure you did; that's why you gave both the first_ and_ the second place to your own teammates," Burn snapped.

Gazel's eyebrow went back down. "You're accusing me of being biased?"

"I'm accusing you of being a crappy judge altogether," Burn clarified harshly. "You obviously favoured the entries _you _liked personally, instead of making impartial observations."

Gazel exhaled a sigh. "You're only saying that because you're angry you didn't win."

"No, I'm saying it because you _clearly_ refuse to acknowledge I'm good at other things than soccer," Burn corrected.

Gazel was unimpressed. "Anyone can build a sandcastle."

"But you didn't see mine coming; you just don't want to admit it." Burn accusingly pointed at his face, but Gazel's cold expression stayed the same. "I think you're a little too confident, Burn. When it comes down to it, your castle wasn't even finished; you just built a hole with water around it. Are you really saying such a thing would impress _you_ in my place?" He turned around and began to walk off, head high as if he was wasting his time talking to this Neanderthal. "Better get over yourself before that overconfident attitude makes you even more disillusioned."

Burn needed all the effort he could muster not to fly at his throat, but he managed. Instead of lashing out, he just shouted at Gazel's back: "_You_ may not be impressed by it, but I'm sure our classmates will be! How about I show that picture to the entire school, bet people will find it a perfect match."

Gazel abruptly halted at the sound of those words. His fingers clasped tightly around the camera, as infuriation began to capture his mind. He knew Burn wasn't bluffing; he bluffed about a lot of things, but he wouldn't miss the chance to make a fool out of him. He'd felt like an idiot just being watched by his teammates; if people other than his siblings saw this picture, his reputation would be crushed. As if he was going to let _that_ happen at the hands of Burn.

Since all Gazel did was stiffen without retort, Burn naively folded his arms, believing himself to have the upper hand. That was one mistake he shouldn't have made, seeing as it left him completely open when Gazel spun around, dropped the camera, charged him and shoved him into his own sandcastle. Burn crashed onto the already fragile walls with a gasp, but understanding Gazel was looking for a fight, he reached for his wrist to drag him down with him. In a swift movement, he managed to roll them over and push Gazel on his back, knocking off his hat in the process, but Gazel was just as quick and immediately flipped them over.

The two of them continued their struggle until they hit the water, where Burn himself petrified at the cold that suddenly stung his backside. Taking advantage of this one defenseless second, Gazel caught his wrists and pinned them beside his head. The cold became the least of Burn's concern and he attempted to wiggle out of Gazel's grip, but the ice captain made sure to keep him in place.

"You seem to have forgotten that_ I'm_ in possession of the camera here," he hissed, "as well as things on you that don't even _compare_ to that picture in terms of humiliation. For example, which one of us wet the bed until he was seven again…?" A sadistic smirk crossed his features. "Wouldn't want the school to know about_ that_, would we?"

Burn widened his eyes in shock, but then shot him a destructive look. "You wouldn't."

"Of course I would," Gazel answered, as if leaking Burn's deepest secrets was a daily occurrence. "In fact, not even all of your teammates know about it, do they? I wonder what they'll think of you when I tell them their captain still needed a diaper by the time he was already _losing teeth_."

Burn's jaw dropped when he saw the seriousness in Gazel's teal eyes. He wasn't making a joke. He was going to go this far if given the chance. He was prepared to humiliate him front of his friends, his classmates, and God knows who else.

"You… bastard…!" Burn gritted out a growl as rage gave him newfound strength, which he used to resist Gazel's grasp until he managed to topple him off. Gazel splashed into the water and needed only one look at Burn's furious face to know he should make a run for it. He dashed into the water with Burn on his heel, claw-shaped hands out to get him.

Once he was deep enough, Gazel doubled his pace by diving in, but Burn continued to pursue him even when he didn't follow his example. It was only when the water reached his neck that he was forced to stop, while Gazel found safety in the bottomless area he dreaded so much.

The silver-haired boy grinned knowingly and leaned back, letting his toes peek out above the surface. "Not so tough anymore, are you, Haruya? I'm afraid the only way you'll catch up now is by_ swimming_ to me."

Burn responded with a hissing sound. As if he didn't fucking know that. There was no doubt Gazel was going to stay where he was until he ceased his efforts, so he only had one choice if he wanted to catch him. What was keeping him from it, anyway? His fear was long gone now that he only had room for anger, and it wasn't like he didn't know how to move about. Little Suzuno had taught it to him himself.

Gazel was met with surprise when he saw Burn advance on him, even though the seafloor was no longer supposed to support his feet. He understood what he was doing – all the while baffled that he was actually doing it – and quickly swam back a little, but then he felt the water stir around him. He turned around and saw a giant wave coming, one that was undoubtedly twice the size of the one that had helped Burn scare the crap out of him. He could only shout a "Duck!" before it collapsed onto them, and he dove through the wave at the exact right moment so the current couldn't swallow him. When he rose back up and saw Burn was gone, he understood it had gotten him.

"Burn?" he called, and he swam to the place where the wave had stopped rolling. It wasn't close to the beach, but at least his feet were back on solid ground. Burn was supposed to be here if he had been stupid enough to let the wave pull him along. Gazel repeated his name as he had a look around, but frowned when Burn remained hidden and a strange sense of déjà vu hit him. He wasn't seriously pulling this joke again, was he?

"Burn, I know what you're doing, so you can just come out," Gazel scoffed, and he crossed his arms where he stood. He wasn't going to lift another finger until Burn decided to show himself.

Fortunately, he didn't take all that long this time. Gazel saw his hair tulip stick out of the water within seconds, and he made his way over with an irritated sigh.

"If you were planning to sneak up on me again, you probably shouldn't put your most_ remarkable_ feature in plain view, tulip-head," he mocked. Gazel waited until Burn jumped up and countered with some half-assed remark, but he stayed completely underwater. His tulip rested quietly above the surface, merely floating about. Almost as if… Burn wasn't even moving himself.

"Burn?" Gazel felt a hint of worry, but he tried not to let it get to him. After all, this was what Burn wanted: for him to worry sick so he'd let down his guard and allow for him to scare the living hell out of him. As if he would let that happen twice. This joke was going to end _now_.

"Burn!" Impatiently, Gazel reached into the water and grabbed Burn's shoulders to drag him up himself. But the moment he saw his face, he knew something was indeed wrong. Burn's eyes were closed and his lower lip hung open slightly. When Gazel tapped him on the cheek, he gave no reaction. When Gazel shook him lightly, then roughly, he gave no reaction. He was out cold. He had swallowed water. And it looked like he had swallowed too much.

"BURN!" Gazel couldn't get to the beach site any faster. He swam desperately, hands clasped around Burn's shoulders from behind, and flopped him into the sand the moment they reached dry land. He sank down next to him, paying no heed to surrounding beach-goers, and placed his ear on his chest. His eyes grew wide in horror. No heartbeat. There was no fucking heartbeat!

"NO!" In total panic, he pulled Burn's lip down fully and pressed both his hands onto his chest. A gush of water, and definitely not a small one, leaked out of Burn's mouth as soon as he applied pressure. Gazel kept going without pausing, even when their siblings – including Hiroto and Midorikawa – caught air of the situation and rushed over with questions. They were all wise enough to stay back when they realized what was happening, but they, too, paled in terror at the thought that their captain and brother may have succumbed to the water.

As if Gazel was going to let that happen. When Burn's mouth appeared to be completely dry, he quickly listened to his heart again, but it was just as lifeless as before. Fuck! He knew of only one last option, and he prayed to God it would work. Without hesitance, he squeezed Burn's nose between his fingers and pressed his lips to his. He breathed air into his lungs, ragged and frantic at first, but he eventually managed to even his pace. Gazel snapped his watering eyes shut in despair. His stupid mistake to lure Burn into the deep water had brought them here. If his life was truly in danger, it was entirely because of him. But he wouldn't stop until Burn gave him a sign. He was going to wait until he drew air of his own accord, and he didn't care how long it took. He wasn't fucking going to let him die, dammit…!

A sharp gasp entered his ears, and Gazel thought he was hallucinating at first. But then he opened his eyes and saw Burn had done the same. When he pulled back, his entire body began to stir, as he struggled to catch his breath. In the moment Burn needed to stop coughing, Gazel gaped at him as if he was witnessing a miracle, which he no doubt believed he was. Burn was alive. He was moving again. He was going to be okay. At this realization, Gazel couldn't stop his tears from dripping down his cheeks. He was really going to be okay…!

Though still in a slight daze, Burn noticed people were cheering and clapping, presumably for him. Just as he was about to sit up, someone caught hold of his cheeks and Gazel captured him in a kiss. Eyes big, Burn wondered if he was really awake, but that question was answered the moment Gazel pulled back and gave the warmest smile he had ever seen. Relieved out of his mind, Burn couldn't help but smile back, he and gladly accepted the other boy's second kiss. The applause around them grew even louder and Hiroto and Midorikawa eyed the couple, then each other, with bright faces. It wasn't every day they beheld two wonders in one.

* * *

The rest of the day went by peacefully. After ensuring Burn needed no medical attention, his friends demanded that he rest for a while. Burn, of course, resisted, but he didn't exactly struggle when Gazel dragged him to his parasol and forced him to lie down. The redhead gave in soon after, and Gazel, refusing to leave his side, resumed his reading while he rebuilt his strength. But even after Burn managed to convince him he was fine, he undertook no more risky activities. He decided to join Gazel during a second round of seashell-hunting, which turned out to be a wise choice because he managed to detect quite some rare ones. By the time they came back, it was almost time to return to the cottage.

The barbeque that had been scheduled for the last evening of their vacation had been moved to today, in celebration of Burn's recovery. Again defiant, Burn insisted his friends didn't have to go to special efforts for his sake, but there was no changing their mind. Having no choice but to bend to their will, he enjoyed the food nonetheless (even if he had to interrupt his own meal to go inside and get a blanket, seeing as the chilly evening breeze was beginning to get to him). Afterwards, several volunteers went to do the dishes while Burn had his second popsicle of the day, and he began to wander the site in search of a certain co-captain.

He found him at the end of the cliff the cottage was situated on. From the spot he sat at, Gazel had a beautiful view on the beach, which he seemed to take advantage of by gazing into the melting horizon. He perked up when he heard footsteps and smiled at the redhead, who smiled back and sat down next to him. "Too full for another cone?" he asked, lifting his popsicle to make his point.

"I'm afraid so," Gazel answered, and Burn needed inquire no more. If there was one thing that never ceased to amaze him, it was how much this boy could actually eat. "Why you're not as fat as a pig is beyond me," he grinned.

"It's called 'doing sports', Haruya, you may have heard of such a thing before," Gazel grinned back. Burn would've usually continued to tease him, but this time, he left the subject for what it was and went silent while he finished his dessert. After today's events – the volleyball match, his sensual dream, his near-flipping-drowning experience –, he wasn't exactly bouncing with energy. Speaking of which…

"… I never actually thanked you," he said, and he clarified: "For saving me," when Gazel gave him a confused look. The other boy smiled in comprehension. "Don't worry about it. Anyone would've done the same in my place."

"Would anyone have kissed me in your place, too?" Burn smirked, and Gazel turned red where he sat. He promptly avoided eye contact and muttered: "Don't say it like it's a one-sided thing, tulip-head… You kissed me back."

"Yeah, I did," Burn admitted with less reluctance than he would've thought. He saw no reason to deny his enthusiasm behind the act; he had enjoyed the first kiss as well as the second. Not just because he liked Gazel on a physical level, but because connecting to him in such an intimate fashion felt nothing short of right.

To Burn's surprise, Gazel refocused on him with a grin. "Can't say I'm too surprised. You gave me a clear hint as to how you felt for me before."

Confusedly, Burn began to ponder what he meant, and his face reddened twice Gazel's amount when the realization struck him. That moment after his dream— "You saw it?!"

"No, but considering you don't fear nightmares, that's the only reason I could think of as to why you'd shove your bag between your legs like that," Gazel casually replied. His grin then widened slyly. "And considering your vivid reaction when I came to you, I figured you'd dreamt about me. It took me a moment to grasp it, but… You're not going to tell me otherwise, are you?"

As if he could at this point. There was no way Burn could fabricate an excuse on such short notice, let alone a plausible one. Even though it probably would've been even more shameful if Gazel didn't return his feelings, he couldn't help but feel like a total loser at the moment. How was he supposed to cope with the knowledge that Gazel had been onto him all along?

Reading the anxiety on his face, Gazel softly bumped their shoulders together as an act of comfort. "You don't need to be embarrassed about it; every male experiences it every now and then," he remarked, purposely sounding like a mother trying to ease her son.

Burn shot him a look and snapped: "Really? I'm not so sure about that. I never even thought _you_ were capable of getting one,_ princess_."

Gazel simply smirked. "If you're so confident, would you mind telling me what that dream was about?"

"There is no way in hell." Burn's face soured even more at first, but as something came to mind, it suddenly retained its usual cockiness. "But I could demonstrate it for you if you like."

As he expected, Gazel backed off now. He had no idea _he _had played the dominative role, after all. Burn liked the idea of keeping him under the wrong impression, even if it was for the sake of teasing him – and maybe his own pride, a little bit.

"That's what I thought," he mused as the other boy fixated on the descending sun with a grumpy pout.

Gazel exhaled a rebellious huff. "_Tch_. I was actually going to be as generous as to invite you to my bed tonight. But forget it, I don't even want a pervert like you near me."

Burn gave him a surprised look, even though sleeping in the same bed was not at all difficult for them. Their cottage was originally meant for a class trip, meaning it contained separate bedrooms for the boys, the girls, and the teachers. Seeing as their teammates held them in high regard even after the Aliea incident, they didn't mind granting them the privacy of the teacher's room. And those four beds were definitely big enough for two people.

It was just that Gazel's words brought Burn way back to the past. They hadn't slept in the same bed since they were kids, and the whole reason they had in the first place because of how clingy Gazel used to be. Even after he promised they would sleep separately when he invaded Burn's bed for the fourth time, he continued to visit until Burn grew tired of protesting and simply let him in whenever he pleased. They kept up this little ritual for at least three months, somehow without Hitomiko ever finding out. Luckily for them, neither Heat nor IQ had been interested in being a telltale. How quaint that it was again Gazel who wanted to sleep together, despite having changed so much over the years. Or perhaps… he hadn't actually changed that much at all. Burn had only grown more attached to him, after all.

"You don't mean that," he purred, and he teasingly nuzzled his nose into Gazel's neck, knowing it would embarrass him.

"Yes, I do," a red-faced Gazel answered. He quickly shoved him off and adjusted his position so he was facing away from him. Burn, however, followed his movements and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. He flashed one of those playful grins Gazel knew he couldn't resist and his lips formed an inevitable smile. "… alright, fine. I'll think about it."

"That's what I like to hear," Burn chimed. Knowing he no longer needed to fear Gazel's reaction, he leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. Gazel's blush visibly increased, but all he did in response was turn his head so their lips could meet. The Chaos captains gave each other a smile, a loving one, before they leaned against each other and enjoyed the sunset together.


End file.
